questions about barrel length [message #33610] |
Mon, 20 October 2014 20:47 |
765bowhunter
Messages: 69 Registered: October 2012 Location: indiana
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Novice Contributor |
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Hello everyone, I am wanting to build a small rifle for my son to hunt with soon, I want to keep it light weight, light recoil, and compact. I was thinking about buying a rifle barrel and having it cut down to about 18 inches or so..... but now I'm thinking about getting a pistol barrel and permanently attaching a muzzle brake. I know a rifle barrel must be 16+ inches, so if I take a pro hunter pistol barrel 15 inches, add a brake +2 inches or so, I will definitely be over the 16 inch minimum. My question is, can I take a designated pistol barrel and turn it into a rifle barrel? Doing it this way will definitely be cheaper then a rifle barrel cut, recrowned, and a brake added, but I don't want walk on any fine lines with the law.
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Re: questions about barrel length [message #33611 is a reply to message #33610] |
Mon, 20 October 2014 21:45 |
jamesgammel
Messages: 1708 Registered: August 2012 Location: Lovell, Wyoming
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Top Contributor |
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You could take an 18 and have an integral M-B cut into it. A 15 would only need a 1 1/4 extension added which could be the Muzzle Brake and be legal, just must be PERMANANTLY affixed. T/C's Custom shop in instructions for ordering barrels was ADD 1 1/8th inch to an existing barrel to figure finished length. Your 15 would end up at 16 1/8th under that general rule.That 1/8th is enuff unless you intend to have your kid out hunting in -40* weather. Cutting,re-crown is usually done when a brake is added anyway so your cost analysis doesn't fly. It would be done with a pistol barrel unless the crown was already great. 18+ a brake is 19 1/8th with a muzzle-tamer added. Just remember which ever way you go, don't figure you'll get any velocity gain with that additional 1 1/8", it adds NOTHING for velocity. And an 18 with an integral LOSES velocity, you've effectively got an 18- 1 1/8 barrel or 16 15/16's worth of rifling.
Jim
[Updated on: Mon, 20 October 2014 21:46] Report message to a moderator
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Re: questions about barrel length [message #33617 is a reply to message #33615] |
Tue, 21 October 2014 08:05 |
jamesgammel
Messages: 1708 Registered: August 2012 Location: Lovell, Wyoming
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Top Contributor |
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David White will add to barrel length to almost anything you could want. Either way, as merely an extension or extension and brake. He and Bellm (who does integral only) include putting a 11* target crown at the end of the rifled portion. Most of the T/C barrels I have seen for some time merely have a recessed crown. Your local gunsmith may or may not care about the crown. Bellm can make a brake as short as an inch, fewer but larger exit holes. White's extensions with brake add zero rifling, Bellms eats rifling.
I believe ^^^mention about "impression" is due to the "startle effect". Louder report increases that startle effect and can create rise for "flinching", body's natural reaction to startle whether by light or sound. On the range that can build up as the session goes on. In the field, assuming one shot, one kill, It will yield negligible effect. The repeated report at the range makes it critically important for hearing protection, with a brake, much more so. Since White will add an extension without a brake to yield the length necessary to change a pistol to rifle barrel, you may want to ditch the brake consideration. You'll have to weigh your son's weight, size, the weight of the total package etc to decide which chambering to go with, and it's intended target species. Lighter weight bullets does help with getting lesser recoil. It's a balancing act to make those decisions.
Jim
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Re: questions about barrel length [message #33629 is a reply to message #33627] |
Tue, 21 October 2014 15:48 |
765bowhunter
Messages: 69 Registered: October 2012 Location: indiana
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Novice Contributor |
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Yea its one of those states lol but its looking like its gonna change next year. If they don't change the laws then I will start looking into pistol cartridges like 357 max or maybe even 44 mag, I'm just hoping for a rifle cartridge like 243 oar 7mm08
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